


Drifting Off

by adadshi



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon Related, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Outer Space
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:13:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26485477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adadshi/pseuds/adadshi
Summary: Stranded in space and running low on oxygen, Shiro gets to hears a familiar voice one last time.Set during Shiro's season 3 escape from the Galra.
Relationships: Adam/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 19





	Drifting Off

**Author's Note:**

> TW for mentions of starvation, dehydration, exhaustion and dying from lack of oxygen. 
> 
> spoilers: in this fic it's shown that Adam has managed to move on from Shiro and start a family, it's not a huge aspect but it's still there. I tagged this as major character death as a precaution but no one actually dies.

When the shuttle pod slowed to a gentle, weightless drift, Shiro finally let his eyes fall shut. He was tired, so tired. How long had he been travelling for? Days, possibly weeks, without seeing a single soul. His muscles ached from being glued to the pilot’s chair. He hadn’t felt this kind of pain in a long time.

Shiro always knew he would die young. It was a grim reality he’d been aware of since he was diagnosed with a degenerative disease at the age of sixteen. He went to Kerberos believing it would be his last mission before his disease became overwhelming but, here he was, two years past his diagnosed expiry-date, dying of starvation, exhaustion, dehydration, or some other god-awful killer that slowly dragged the life out of him.

_Well, it will all be over soon_ , he thought, eyeing the oxygen indicator. The little needle pointed to the red portion of the dial. He tapped it with this finger but the needle did not quiver. Without oxygen, he’d be gone in less than twenty seconds. Almost three decades of suffering ended so quickly. 

He was done radioing for rescue. His eyes hurt from not blinking out of fear of missing ships pass by him. When he was a teenager, he always fought against his disease. He never let it get in the way of his life. If sixteen-year-old Shiro was in this situation, he would fight against this looming death. He’d find some clever way to save himself. But this Shiro was tired. He was tired and he wanted to sleep. 

He shifted on the pilot’s chair and brought his knees up to his chest. He felt his foot accidentally hit a button on the control panel. There was the humming of the communication radio, searching for any transmissions to catch. The humming was a familiar sound that usually comforted him. But now it taunted him. _You are alone. No one is coming for you, Shiro. It’s time to die._

But the humming morphed into quivering warbles. And then, there was laughter. 

Shiro opened his eyes. He recognised that laugh, gentle and joyous like the round tinkling of a bell. He remembered trying to provoke it from sweet lips every day as a teenager. 

“No, you go to bed. I’ll be right there, just give me a moment.” Adam said between breathy laughs. Shiro’s heart clenched in his chest. Was this real? He reached out for the microphone and clutched it like a lifeline. Adam, oh Adam. _Why did I ever leave you?_ He’d give anything to be in his arms right now. 

Adam laughed again and Shiro heard a faint voice speak to him. _Who does that voice belong to? Another man?_ Shiro wasn’t angry at that idea- in fact, it comforted him slightly. He would never be so selfish to ask Adam to wait so long for him. At least Adam has someone to take care of him.

“You know I’m never long. Go get yourself comfortable and I’ll join you in a bit.” Adam cleared his throat, paused for a few moments, then whispered, “Takashi?”

The name crackled through the speakers and floated to Shiro’s ears like a sweet melody. He squeezed his eyes shut and bit back a smile. He hadn’t heard his name in so long, too long. When people asked for his name, he’d tell them to call him by his nickname. Only Adam, the keeper of the key to his heart, could call him Takashi.

Suddenly he was brought back to being a young man: he and Adam were inseparable. They had a very special relationship. Shiro couldn’t remember a time in his life when Adam wasn’t by his side. They were roommates as Garrison cadets, spending long nights studying together while listening to the radio’s calming crackle. As the years passed, they only grew closer. Their devotion to each other didn’t have to be confirmed with rings or a marriage certificate- it was clear to everyone that they were deeply in love. Maybe that’s why Adam was so distressed when Shiro revealed his plans to go on the Kerberos mission. 

“Takashi.” Adam’s gentle whisper pulled him out of the beginning of a dark trip down memory lane, “How are you tonight, my love?”

“I’m cold.” Shiro replied, knowing no one could hear him, “And I’m tired. Really tired, Adam.” 

“I hope you know I miss you. Talking to you helps, even if you’re not listening, but there’s still an aching in my heart.” Adam paused and said, “I don’t think I’ll ever feel fully happy again until I see you again.”

Shiro started to cry. His face crumpled and big, fat tears dripped from his eyes while snot ran from his nostrils. The oxygen indicator needle flickered. He had his microphone in his hands but he couldn’t bring himself to press down on it and connect to the channel. Even if he tried to speak now, Shiro knew he would be incomprehensible through his sobs. How many times had Adam reached out to him? How many times had he spoken to the stars and never received a response? 

When Shiro heard sudden, high wails, he quickly composed himself. Adam quietly tut-tutted and made sounds of movement

“I thought you were fast asleep.” He mumbled. Just as Shiro thought he could cry no more, there was the sweet sound of a baby happily gurgling. _A baby!_ This time he cried out of joy. He was so happy for Adam, so happy for him. _Oh, a baby!_

“You’re supposed to be asleep.” Adam’s voice was breathy. It was calming. Shiro wiped his tears and eyed the oxygen indicator one last time. He was in the red now. As he shut his eyes, he tried not to imagine how he would die, but instead how Adam looked in this moment.

Sitting on a well-worn chair, wearing a large knitted jumper, his back curved as always so his height was less intimidating. His sharp features illuminated by the yellow glow of a desk lamp and the microphone slotted in his hand. He always had such wonderful hands: strong from years of classical piano training.

“It’s alright. Shhh. Go to sleep.” Adam’s voice carried him away to a nice warm place, where space is white and not so scary. Shiro welcomed it. As long as he could still hear Adam, he’d be alright.

“Go to sleep. Goodnight, Takashi. Goodnight. I love you.” 

I love you, I love you, goodnight, I love you. 

Shiro drifted away softly to the crackling static of the radio. Just like the old days.

When he came to, he was in the Castle of Lions and Keith was at his side. He asked him what it was like to drift helplessly through space, all alone and rescued mere moments before his death. 

“I wasn’t alone.” Shiro quietly said, “I… I had Adam.”

Keith looked at him sadly, patted his knee and left the room. Shiro knew how preposterous the story sounded but he was so sure he heard Adam’s voice through the speakers. So sure. 

Even if it was a hallucination, he was filled with purpose now. He had to make it home. To hold that baby and to meet the new man. To take Adam aside and quietly thank him for giving him comfort as he drifted off, and giving him strength when he decided to survive. 

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like this was kind of messy but I just wanted to get this idea out. I am 100% sure radio communications don't work like this 
> 
> twitter: @adadshi


End file.
